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The world's best gem articles, published weekly.

Most Recent Articles

The World’s Largest Emeralds

Emerald crystals can grow very large. Learn about some of the world’s largest emeralds, whether rough, faceted, or carved.

Heliodor Value, Price, and Jewelry Information

Heliodor is a member of the beryl family. This stone is known for its range of yellow colors — from pale yellow, greenish yellow, orange-yellow,…

Gem Cutting FAQ

Our gem cutting FAQ covers some common questions from novice faceters. Topics include how to get started, how to clean gemstones, and dopping issues.…

Interest in Lab Grown Diamonds is Surging, Shows No Signs of Stopping

Recently, CNN spoke to independent diamond industry analyst Edahn Golan regarding the recent surge of lab grown diamonds. Golan revealed to CNN…

Seven Famous Emeralds and Their Stories

Some famous emeralds have amazing histories. These seven gems have gone through revolutions, shipwrecks, and thefts to become crown jewels and…

Mystery at Met Gala 2022: Did Emma Chamberlain Wear A Stolen Necklace?

May 17, 2022 Is this the Patiala Necklace? Cartier and Emma Chamberlain have not commented. Photo attribution: Getty Images…

Morganite Value, Price, and Jewelry Information

A member of the beryl family, morganite shows a range of pink colors due to traces of manganese. Recently, this gemstone has seen an increase in popularity…

Fantasy Gem Designs: Cutting Techniques

Fantasy gem designs combine elements from faceted and cabbed stones as well as artistic embellishments. Learn the basics of this modern lapidary…

Emerald Jewelry Leads Spring 2022 Trends As Celebrity Engagements Leave Consumers Green with Envy

May 13, 2022 Photo attribution: Shutterstock/photo-world The birthstone of May, the verdant, green glow of emerald ushers in the start of spring…

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Gem Price Guide

The world's best online resource for gemstone appraisal

Over 15 years, we have assembled detailed pricing and value information for appraising over 70 different gemstones. The values in our guide come from a variety of sources including primary and secondary gemstone dealers, jewelers, miners, and wholesale suppliers of commonly traded gemstones.

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Gemstone Encyclopedia

Our Gemstone Encyclopedia has information on over 300 gemstones, from traditional and popular jewelry standards to collector’s stones that rarely appear for sale. Each entry has photos and detailed information about the gem’s properties. Entries for jewelry stones also have price guidelines and discussions of their most important value factors.

Emerald

Emerald has been synonymous with the color green since ancient times. A fine emerald is a truly breathtaking sight, and this member of the beryl family deserves its placement among the traditional “Big Four” gems along with diamond, ruby, and sapphire.

Onyx

For millennia, artisans have carved intricate cameos from black-and-white onyx. Solid black onyxes, faceted or cabbed, are also popular jewelry stones.

Sapphire

Few gems have held our attention over millennia as well as sapphire. The pure blue colors and excellent durability of this gem-quality member of the corundum family make for an exceptional gemstone. However, not all sapphires are blue. The September birthstone comes in every color of the rainbow (except red).

Moissanite

When it comes to engagement ring stones, there’s a lot to consider. In the moissanite vs diamond debate, we’ll look at three main factors: beauty, durability, and price.

February Birthstone

Thanks to its beauty and relative abundance, the February birthstone, amethyst, is used in all types of jewelry: from the mass market to the finest custom couture pieces.

Diamond Cuts

We’ve compiled information on average costs and sizes for different diamond cuts and shapes at different carat weights. Learn how the different fancy cuts compare, and the pros and cons of different diamond cuts.

Moldavite

An olive to bottle-green natural glass, moldavite is a rare material popular with collectors of unusual gems as well as those interested in its formation from a meteorite impact.

January Birthstone

Although many associate January's birthstone, garnet, with the color red, they can come in a variety of colors including red, yellow, orange, green and even blue.